Eminem, Rihanna Open Their ‘Monster Tour’ At The Rose Bowl

PASADENA (CBSLA.com) — Concertgoers were advised to leave early or carpool or take mass transit, and with music superstars Eminem and Rihanna teaming up for a Rose Bowl show on the same night, it’s still a wonder traffic wasn’t backed up 8 mile.

KCAL9’s Juan Fernandez went to the Rose Bowl in search of fans lucky enough to land tickets for the aptly named three-city “Monster Tour.”

Thursday and Friday’s monster show, of course, comes on the heels of Beyonce and Jay Z’s recent Rose Bowl jaunt with “On the Run Tour.”

The “Monster” show started at 7:30 p.m., and fans were told to arrive four hours early, at least.

Fernandez reported that getting upwards of 60,000 people in and out of the venue is no easy task and there had to be lots of precision to pull it off.

“We went to work this morning,” said fan Michelle Ly, “and we left after lunch to get ready. Just to get here. We know LA traffic can be kinda brutal.”

The Brown family, from Lakewood, made sure they would be early leaving home at 2 pm.

Tickets sold between $60 and $645.

The venue expecting upwards of 60,000 for both shows said anyone not arriving early faced the very real possibility of being parked more than a mile from the stadium “in danger of missing the start of the show.”

And why is the Eminem and Rihanna show considered such a monster event? In addition to being mega-successful and solo recording acts, the two have also teamed up on four songs (among them “The Monster” and his biggest, “I Love the Way You Lie”) and have made the world of pop culture their personal playgrounds with forays into acting, tabloid fodder for days and romantic entanglements with the famous and infamous.

MTV.com put it more succinctly. They said to expect lots of skin, flames, monster effects and at least one lap dance. Last year, MTV News asked Eminem about his favorite collaborator and why it worked.

“I think people look at us like we’re both a little nuts,” he said. “I think people look at us a little crazy.”

There was a pre-concert Picnic in the Park that began at 2 p.m. with live music, food, refreshments and more.

“The Monster Tour” next moves on to MetLife Stadium in New York on Aug. 16 (sold out) and 17, and Detroit’s Comerica Park on Aug. 22-23, both sold out.